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Christian Wade has taken the next key step in his rugby to NFL journey
By Chris Jones
Former England wing Christian Wade has reached the next key stage of his transformation from rugby union star to an American football player by putting on the extensive padding players wear to try and avoid the massive hits in the National Football League.
The Buffalo Bills rookie admitted the extra protection gave him a feeling of “invincibility”.
Wade is attempting to make the massive sporting leap from rugby union to become an NFL running back as part of the league’s international player pathway project.
The former Wasps wing claimed that the first contact training with the Bills took the challenge to a new level.
Wade told News10NBC: “It has been a hell of an experience so far and this training camp has gone up a level with a bit of contact and getting used to the running plays and being hit with the pads on.
“I’m used to not wearing pads so I know what it feels like to get hit but with the pads, you almost feel a bit more invincible I guess. That’s why it is so much harder."
The former international is still trying to take in all of the information needed to understand the playbook used by the Bills offence and to recognise his part in the system.
He has been helped by veteran players on the Bills squad who have taken time to help the rookie get used to a new sport.
He added: “The hardest part as definitely been the amount of information I have to take on board, digest and then bring onto the field, maybe the same day.
“The physical side is demanding as we’re going 100 per cent on every play with no rest sometimes. In rugby, it was more of an on-going game and slower-paced.
“There are guys who have had multiple years in the league and also the other guys have five to six years, so there is lots of experience and it’s great for me to learn from those guys even if it is off the field stuff.
“Any little things I can pick their brains and they are all really helpful, which is great. This first training camp has been so much fun.”
WATCH: The latest RugbyPass documentary, Foden – Stateside, looks at how ex-England international Ben Foden is settling into Major League Rugby in New York
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Latest Comments
Can you relay which "Irish" have said this? News to me.
I have stated that it is not the meritocracy it claims to be due to the draw and scheduling.
The 2023 draw was made right after the 2019 WC so I can substantiate that claim. For example Scotland who were 4th seed when the RWC started finished in joined 16th position. This was not a reflection of their ability: the draw meant they had to play two of the big 4 and bear at least one to have a chance of making a top 8.
Careful when you are sh1t talking the Irish. There are a few of us around here now.
Go to commentsMany Ireland related articles go back a very short way, ABs/Bok thumped them for years. Ire have only been a force in rugby for a short while. A recency bias in IRE favour it seems.
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